NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Distilling Co. is selling its brands including Collier and McKeel Tennessee Whiskey to California-based North Coast Spirits.
Founder Mike Williams says the spirit named after his ancestors will continue to be distilled in Nashville after the sale. Terms were not disclosed.
Williams said a decision by state lawmakers this year not to roll back the legal definition of Tennessee whiskey helped boost the value of the Collier and McKeel, which is currently available in 21 states and Australia. That law requires whiskey to be charcoal filtered and stored in unused oak barrels.
The Tennessee Distilling Co., which makes its spirits about a mile from the state Capitol in Nashville, has been in business since 2009 and was an early participant in a boom in craft distilling in the state.